Friday, July 31, 2015

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Public Enemies by Ann Aguirre. This is the second book in The Immortal Games series. I got this ARC from Macmillan. Here is the description from Amazon:

Through a Faustian bargain, Edie Kramer has been pulled into the dangerous world of the Immortal Game, where belief makes your nightmares real. Hungry for sport, fears-made-flesh are always raising the stakes. To them, human lives are less than nothing, just pieces on a board.

Because of her boyfriend Kian's sacrifice, she's operating under the mysterious Harbinger's aegis, but his patronage could prove as fatal as the opposition. Raw from deepest loss, she's terrified over the deal Kian made for her. Though her very public enemies keep sending foot soldiers - mercenary monsters committed to her destruction - she's not the one playing under a doom clock. Kian has six months . . . unless Edie can save him. And this is a game she can't bear to lose.

Beginning:

Six days before Christmas, two thugs snatched me off the sidewalk and shoved me into a black panel van.

Friday 56:

"We must have a serious chat," the Harbinger said, clamping my arm with steely fingers.

Thursday, July 30, 2015

Description: "Evan Quick, Hero's Log, May the 25th… and darn it - I just can't do this. I'm never going to be a Mask. Get over it Evan."

Evan Quick has spent his whole life dreaming of becoming a hero. Every morning he wakes up and runs through a checklist of test to see if he's developed powers over night, and every day it is the same thing - nothing. No flying, no super strength, no heat rays or cold beams. No invulnerability - that always hurt to check - no telepathy, no magic. Not even the ability to light a light bulb without flipping a switch. And now, he's finally ready to give up.

But then, the class field trip to the Mask Museum is interrupted by a super villain attack, and Evan somehow manages to survive a death ray. Even better, Evan's favorite Mask, Captain Commanding, shows up to save them all -- and when things go very wrong, it's Evan who finds the strength to come to Captain Commanding's rescue.

Yet the hero's reception Evan is expecting never happens. Before he even gets the chance to say hello, Evan is bundled away to The Academy, an institution derisively called The School for Sidekicks by its students. Forced to take classes like Banter Basics and Combat with Dinnerware, while being assigned as an 'apprentice' to Foxman - a Mask widely considered a has-been -- Evan starts to worry that he'll never be able to save the day…

My Thoughts: Evan Quick has always wanted to be a superhero. Each morning he tests himself to see if he has developed any super powers. He has studied the Masks and Hoods and he knows more about his hero - Captain Commanding - than almost anyone else. Before a visit to the Captain Commanding amusement park, he has always failed the tests. After, well, that's something else...

A school field trip to the Mask Museum finds Evan caught in a battle between Captain Commanding and his arch-rival Spartanicus. Evan saves the day for his hero but when he wakes up he finds that history has been rewritten so that Captain Commanding was the hero of the day and Evan has been spirited away to a training school for superheroes.

Before Evan can become a mask, he has to be a sidekick. But with Captain Commanding blackballing him, the only mentor who will take him on his Foxman. Foxman was formerly great but has become an alcoholic has-been. As Evan gets to know him, he learns a lot more about the Masks and Hoods and he learns secrets that change his life.

I liked Evan because he was an average kid. He wasn't the most athletic or the smartest but he was determined and honorable. He didn't have a bunch of friends until he got to the school for sidekicks. The friends he does make are all interesting people too. I especially liked his friendship with Burnish who had some really interesting parent problems.

This was an exciting, middle grade fantasy. I liked the setting and the world building. I liked Evan's relationship with his parents and the relationship he builds with Foxman. Young fans of superheroes will enjoy this one.

Favorite Quote:

"Was that sarcasm? Because it sounded like sarcasm to me."

"It was sarcasm."

"Good. I'd hate to think my filters were that far off." He knocked back the rest of his MaskerAde. "You're a very sarcastic kid. Did you know that? Probably good in a sidekick, well, unless you wanted to go for the boyish enthusiasm thing. But that'd probably be bad for a man with my ego, so better to go with sarcastic. Feature, not a bug. I like that."

San Francisco, 1900. The Gilded Age. A fantastic time to be alive for lots of people . . . but not thirteen-year-old Lizzie Kennedy, stuck at Miss Barstow’s snobby school for girls. Lizzie’s secret passion is science, an unsuitable subject for finishing-school girls. Lizzie lives to go on house calls with her physician father. On those visits to his patients, she discovers a hidden dark side of the city—a side that’s full of secrets, rats, and rumors of the plague.

The newspapers, her powerful uncle, and her beloved papa all deny that the plague has reached San Francisco. So why is the heart of the city under quarantine? Why are angry mobs trying to burn Chinatown to the ground? Why is Noah, the Chinese cook’s son, suddenly making Lizzie question everything she has known to be true? Ignoring the rules of race and class, Lizzie and Noah must put the pieces together in a heart-stopping race to save the people they love.

My Thoughts: Lizzie Kennedy loves going with her doctor father on his cases. Her Aunt Hortense is less thrilled and wants Lizzie to do well at the posh school she attends and be more of a lady. But Lizzie loves medicine and science.

San Francisco in 1900 is soon to face an outbreak of bubonic plague. Her uncle who owns a newspaper and other powerful men are vested in keeping the outbreak hidden. It's bad for business and for tourism. Lizzie first gets involved when Jing, the Chinese housekeeper who has taken care of her family since her mother's death, is caught in the quarantine of Chinatown and Lizzie can't get him out. Jing has brought his son to Lizzie's house and hidden him in his room. Lizzie finds out and the two of them become friends when she gets involved in smuggling food to him and keeping him company.

Lizzie's older brother Billy isn't the companion that he used to be. He and her father are at odds about what Billy's future should be. Billy is fighting in order to earn money to buy a car. He isn't much help in trying to get Jing out of Chinatown but Lizzie's new friends Gemma and Gus Trotter do help her.

This story was great historical fiction. It illuminates a period of time and a place that seem very real. The author talks about the prejudice that the Chinese faced in California at that time. Lizzie and Jing's son Noah could never be friends in public without danger to him and social ostracism for her. The book also talks about the state of medicine at the time when many diseases were attributed to "bad air" and the germ theory of disease was only just coming into fashion.

The story was well-written and the characters were well-rounded and engaging. I can't wait to share this story with my middle schoolers this fall.

Favorite Quote:

"Mucus," I tell her. "Did you know your nose produces a flask full of mucus every day?

Gemma makes a face. "A Flask full...Don't tell me you drink it?"

"Actually, I do. Everyone does." I know i should say things like this. Aunt Hortense says I try hard to be peculiar. But she's wrong; I come by it quite naturally.

Tuesday, July 28, 2015

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

This is the part of my story where if I was in a movie they'd run a montage with inspirational theme music playing in the background and a clock on the wall with the numbers and dates blurring away two months.

This week my teaser comes from School for Sidekicks by Kelly McCullough. I got this ARC from Macmillan. Here is the description from Amazon:

"Evan Quick, Hero's Log, May the 25th… and darn it - I just can't do this. I'm never going to be a Mask. Get over it Evan."

Evan Quick has spent his whole life dreaming of becoming a hero. Every morning he wakes up and runs through a checklist of test to see if he's developed powers over night, and every day it is the same thing - nothing. No flying, no super strength, no heat rays or cold beams. No invulnerability - that always hurt to check - no telepathy, no magic. Not even the ability to light a light bulb without flipping a switch. And now, he's finally ready to give up.

But then, the class field trip to the Mask Museum is interrupted by a super villain attack, and Evan somehow manages to survive a death ray. Even better, Evan's favorite Mask, Captain Commanding, shows up to save them all -- and when things go very wrong, it's Evan who finds the strength to come to Captain Commanding's rescue.

Yet the hero's reception Evan is expecting never happens. Before he even gets the chance to say hello, Evan is bundled away to The Academy, an institution derisively called The School for Sidekicks by its students. Forced to take classes like Banter Basics and Combat with Dinnerware, while being assigned as an 'apprentice' to Foxman - a Mask widely considered a has-been -- Evan starts to worry that he'll never be able to save the day…

It’s
Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have
read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great
way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put
new titles on your reading list.

Other Than Reading...

This was another quiet reading week. The heat and humidity have made me glad for our central air conditioning and have made me glad to stay inside and read.

Read Last Week

It will be "all review books, all the time" here for quite a while. I'm trying to get ahead before school starts and I get too busy to read 10 books a week.

Dreamland by Robert L. Anderson was a YA title that tells the story of a girl who can walk through dreams and, by not following her mother's rules, attracts the attention of monsters in the dream world. It was also a romance and was very entertaining. My review will be posted on September 12 for this September 22 release.

The Copper Gauntlet by Holly Black and Cassandra Clare arrived this week from Amazon Vine. This is the second book in a middle grade series and was also very good. I like the characters and it was an action-packed episodein a interesting fantasy series. My review will be posted on August 26 for this September 1 release.

I got The Fall by James Preller from Macmillan. This is an excellent middle grade story that deals with the aftermath of bullying and suicide. Sam writes a journal of the year after which was touching and thought-provoking. My review will be posted on September 16 for this September 22 release.

I was going to pass up Chasing Secrets by Gennifer Choldenko despite being auto-approved at NetGalley until I read a recent review. I was intrigued by this middle grade historical fiction novel that takes place in San Francisco in 1900 when a bubonic plague outbreak is being covered up. Doctor's daughter Lizzie was a great character. My review will be posted on July 29 for this August 4 release.

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson was an excellent historical fiction story which was infused with magic. The main character can sense gold which will certainly help her since it is 1849 and she is on her way to California. But first she has to escape the uncle who killed her parents and survive the overland journey to get to California. My review will be posted on September 17.

Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague is also a survival story. Middle schoolers with mental quirks are sent to a desert survival camp to help them learn to live with them. Audrey always knows when people are lying; Aaron remembers everything he reads, sees or hears. They have to learn to work together and with others and survive the harsh desert environment and the "care" of the camp director. My review will be posted on September 19.

I ended my reading week with two books that were amazing and could not have been more different.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate is a middle school book about friendship, resilience, and family. My review will be posted on Sept. 23.

What We Saw by Aaron Hartzler is a young adult book ripped from the headlines about a rape that happens at a high school party and polarizes a small town. Told by a girl who just wants the truth to come out no matter what the consequences are, this story was a compelling read. My review will be posted on Sept. 24 for this Sept. 22 release. Currently

This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee is a retelling of Frankenstein. I got this eARC from Edelweiss for review. It will be released on September 22.

Next Week

Still reading review books....

Dreamstrider by Lindsay Smith is a fantasy espionage novel. I got this eARC from NetGalley. It will be released on October 6.

A Thousand Nights by E. K. Johnson is a fantasy eARC that I get from NetGalley. It will be released on October 6.

The White Rose by Amy Ewing is the sequel to last year's The Jewel. I got this eARC from Edelweiss. It will be released on Oct. 6 too.

Ice Like Fire by Sara Raasch is the sequel to last year's Snow Like Ashes. I got the eARC of this fantasy from Edelweiss. It will be released on October 13.

This is my monthly State of the Stack post. It is my way to keep track of my review books and to hopefully reduce the stack that I have waiting for me. I take a look at my review commitments on the last Monday of each month. Please feel free to join in and let me know the state of your stack.

Here is my Review Books Spreadsheet. I list them in publication order and sort them by month. I can quickly see how many books I have for each date. Ideally, this keeps me from over-committing to review books. Check my spreadsheet to find out where I got each book.

I also do this post because sometimes (frequently) review books sit on my stack for a while before I read and review them. I try to read and review books within two weeks of publication date. Sometimes I can't, though, if too many books are releasing on the same date or if the book arrives too near its publication date and my calendar is already full.

I am very grateful to the authors and publishers who support my reading habit.My Review Pile

If I can keep reading at my current pace, I should be able to read and schedule reviews for all of the books on my stack before I begin work again on August 31. I can't remember the last time I was totally caught up on review books. I just have to keep from adding any more to the stack.

Saturday, July 25, 2015

Description: After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can't help but feel like a monster.

Though she's formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra's not sure she can trust him. And with James's fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself.

As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?

In this spellbinding sequel to Midnight Thief, Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents.

My Thoughts: This second book in the Midnight Thief series is filled with action. Kyra is coming to terms with being half Demon Rider but it is certainly a secret she is keeping from most in Forge since they are getting ready to fight a war to defeat the Demon Riders. She is still working Malikel who is the Defense Minister but Malikel is in a conflict of his own with Willem who is the Head Councillor. Willem wants to conscript civilians to fight against the Demon Riders and Kyra's best friend Flick is in the first group chosen and not by chance.

Kyra's relationship with Tristam is also causing both of them difficulties. Their statuses are such that the only role Kyra can have in his life is as a mistress which is unacceptable to her. Also, Tristam is courting another woman of his status who can bring troops to help guard his family from Demon Rider attacks. To add ever more tension, Tristam is subconsciously afraid of her because she is a Demon Rider. He has fought them and watched two of his friends killed by them.

In this story, Kyra learns more about her past and learns more about the Demon Riders. Kyra struggles a lot in this story about where her loyalties lie. She doesn't approve of the way the Council governs Forge and certainly hates that the wealthy can act seemingly without consequences. Her encounters with James as he is held prisoner in Forge's dungeon give her even more to think about. She knows that she doesn't like the way James tried to bring about changes to Forge but she still sees a need for Forge to change.

I enjoyed this story. I liked Kyra and her circle of friends. Fans of fantasy will enjoy this story.

Favorite Quote:

Though Kyra didn't exactly see herself as being able to blend in anywhere. On the contrary, half the Palace thought her a criminal, the Demon Riders didn't want her in the forest, and even the gutter rats didn't trust her anymore. It was a find line, she thought, between being able to blend in everywhere and nowhere.

Friday, July 24, 2015

Book Beginnings on Friday is now hosted by Rose City Reader. The Friday 56 is hosted at Freda's Voice. Check out the links above for the rules and for the posts of the participants each week. Don’t dig for your favorite book, the coolest, the most intellectual. Use the CLOSEST.

This week I am spotlighting Daughter of Dusk by Livia Blackburne. This is the sequel to Midnight Thief. Here is the description from Amazon:

After learning the truth about her bloodlines, Kyra can't help but feel like a monster.

Though she's formed a tentative alliance with the Palace, Kyra must keep her identity a secret or risk being hunted like the rest of her Demon Rider kin. Tristam and the imprisoned assassin James are among the few who know about her heritage, but when Tristam reveals a heartbreaking secret of his own, Kyra's not sure she can trust him. And with James's fate in the hands of the palace, Kyra fears that he will give her away to save himself.

As tensions rise within Forge's Council, and vicious Demon Rider attacks continue in surrounding villages, Kyra knows she must do something to save her city. But she walks a dangerous line between opposing armies: will she be able to use her link to the Demon Riders for good, or will her Makvani blood prove to be deadly?

In this spellbinding sequel to Midnight Thief, Kyra and Tristam face their biggest battle yet as they grapple with changing allegiances, shocking deceit, and vengeful opponents.

Beginning:

The snow was a problem, the way it crunched beneath Kyra's shoes and bore marks of her passing.

Friday 56:

Kyra stumbled just slightly when she noticed Tristam's brother Henril looking at them, his brow furrowed. But it was the sight of Willem dancing nearby which brought her to a complete stop.

Thursday, July 23, 2015

Description: Sarah Robinson and her family are shipwrecked on a remote and mysterious island. Their food is running out, and their fear is escalating-there is no sign of rescue. The mysterious girl they found unconscious at the beach is healing, and what she tells them about the strange island and especially about someone called the Keeper has the family on edge. When Sarah's dad and Marco's younger brother go missing, the mystery becomes dangerous. Now, it's a matter of life and death. Now, the family is truly lost.

My Thoughts: This is the second book in the Shipwreck Island series and is filled with adventure. Sarah Robinson, her father, her new stepmother and two new stepbrothers were shipwrecked on the island in book 1 where they had all sorts of dangerous adventures.

In this episode they find a new person. Cash is another twelve-year old like Sarah and Marco. She tells a wild story about how she ended up on the island. The parents don't believe her but the kids who have seen things they haven't told their parents do.

The kids do more exploring as they look for Sarah's father who had gone off to cut down bamboo to make a shelter to get them off the sand. The youngest boy takes off and now Sarah and Marco are looking for both of them.

They see a valley filled with animals that don't exist in nature and are almost caught by a sharkodile before they discover a cave filled with freezer units. Maybe the Curator that Cash told them about wasn't only something she made up?

This story, like the first, ends with a cliffhanger. Middle school students will be eager for the next volume to find out what is really going on here on this mysterious island.

Favorite Quote:

But his shoulders went up and down. "The whole thing seems sketchy to me. Like, the regular rules of the world don't apply."

Description:In an alternate London where magical creatures are preserved in a
museum, two teens find themselves caught in a web of intrigue,
deception, and danger.

Vespa Nyx wants nothing more than to
spend the rest of her life cataloging Unnatural creatures in her
father’s museum, but as she gets older, the requirement to become a lady
and find a husband is looming large. Syrus Reed’s Tinker family has
always served and revered the Unnaturals from afar, but when his family
is captured to be refinery slaves, he finds that his fate may be bound
up with Vespa’s—and with the Unnaturals.

As the danger grows,
Vespa and Syrus find themselves in a tightening web of deception and
intrigue. At stake may be the fate of New London—and the world.

My Thoughts: This story takes place in an alternate London that was somehow swept into another world complete with and run by elementals and other magical creatures.

The main characters are these: Vespa Nyx who is the daughter of a man who runs a museum filled with these magical creatures. Vespa is content with her life cataloging the unnatural creatures and creating displays;Syrus Reed who is a Tinker whose family lives on the edge of society and take care of the magical creatures who live in the woods. He also has the unique ability to communicate with the unnaturals; the third main character is Pedant Hal Lumin, otherwise known as Bayne Grimgorn, who is an Architect. Architects study magic and try to free captive elementals.

The main villain of the story is Charles Waddingly who has been taken over by a Grue and who wants to reopen the portal that would take him back to our Earth. And he is willing to kill huge numbers of elementals to accomplish his goal.

The setting of this story is an interesting combination of Victorian and Bourbon French and takes its social cues from both cultures. New that Vespa is growing up, she is being taken away from her life at the museum to prepare to find a suitable husband. Then she meets Lady Virulen from the highest level of society and is invited to be her companion. Lady Virulen has seen her doing magic and wants Vespa to do magic on her behalf. She blackmails her into doing a spell to help her catch a rich and titled husband. Unfortunately, the rich and titled man she wants is the same Bayne Grimgorn that Vespa has a crush on.

This was an interesting and engaging story. The best audience for this one would be readers who like fantasy and magic.

Favorite Quote:

Now I am angry. How dare he? I almost expect Saint Darwin to send his apes to carry this heretic away to the Infinitesimal Void right now! "And just what is the truth, if you are so sure you know it?"

Tuesday, July 21, 2015

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

Open to a random page

Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page

BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)

Share the title and author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

Teaser:

His grandparents had been way old when his mom came along, so now they lived in a retirement home in Arizona. Whenever they visited, he and Nacho had to sit and do jigsaw puzzles so they wouldn't make any noise.

This week my teaser comes from Lost which is the second book in the Shipwreck Island series by S. A. Bodeen. This is a middle grade adventure story. Here is the description from Amazon:

Sarah Robinson and her family are shipwrecked on a remote and mysterious island. Their food is running out, and their fear is escalating-there is no sign of rescue. The mysterious girl they found unconscious at the beach is healing, and what she tells them about the strange island and especially about someone called the Keeper has the family on edge. When Sarah's dad and Marco's younger brother go missing, the mystery becomes dangerous. Now, it's a matter of life and death. Now, the family is truly lost.

It’s Monday! What Are You Reading, is where we gather to share what we have read this past week and what we plan to read this week. It is a great way to network with other bloggers, see some wonderful blogs, and put new titles on your reading list.

Other Than Reading...

There really wasn't anything else but reading this week. My car was in the shop for some minor repairs from Monday morning until Wednesday afternoon giving me a perfect excuse to stay home and read.

Read Last Week

I read Truest by Jackie Lea Sommers and enjoyed it. I liked the Minnesota setting. I liked the main character who was busy trying to hold on to the way things are in a summer when things are changing despite her efforts. This one has a love story that seems achingly real. My review will be posted on August 28.

I also read Shades of Milk and Honey by Mary Robinette Kowal and loved it. It had been sitting on TBR mountain since April of 2012 because I was afraid that it would be too much like Jane Austen (I've tried to read her many times and bounced off her prose each time.). This was more like Sorcery & Cecilia which I loved. I loved the combination of manners and magic. My review will be posted on September 2.

Fans of the Impossible Life by Kate Scelsa was a heart-breaking but hopeful contemporary story. Three misfits band together in hope of surviving high school. My review will be posted on September 3.

Ash & Bramble by Sarah Prineas was a fantasy that combined a number of fairy tales as the main characters were trying to escape the fates the Story had in mind for them. It was complex and lyrical and very engaging. My review will be posted on September 5.

Tonight the Streets Are Ours by Leila Sales was a contemporary story about a girl who falls in love with a boy she only knows from her blog and changes her life when she meets him. My review will be posted on September 9.

Lock & Mori by Heather W. Petty was an excellent contemporary mystery with characters who share the names and some of the traits of Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes characters. It is told by Mori who is dealing with the death of her mother and her father's new penchant for abusing his children. My review will be posted on September 10/

Currently

Next on my review stack is Dreamland by debut author Robert L. Anderson. This is a paranormal story which will be released on Sept. 22.

Next Week

All of the books on my stack for next week are review books being released in September.

The Fall by James Preller is a middle grade contemporary about bullying and suicide. It will be released on Sept. 22.

Connect the Stars by Marisa de los Santos and David Teague is also a middle grade contemporary story being released on Sept. 22.

Crenshaw by Katherine Applegate is another middle grade contemporary but with some fantasy elements. It too is being released on Sept. 22.

Walk on Earth a Stranger by Rae Carson begins a new trilogy that combines historical fiction, fantasy and romance. This is still another book that is being released on Sept. 22.

I was a school library/media specialist for a small school district in Southeast Minnesota. I retired after 41 years in media centers in June 2017.
I love reading! My favorite genres are adult, YA and Middle Grade paranormals, science fiction/fantasy, and mysteries. I am also a fan of adult romances and romantic suspense.
I maintain two book blogs. Ms. Martin Teaches Media is used to blather about the YA books I read. Inside of a Dog is my home for the adult books I read.

NetGalley Badges

My Review Policy

Beginning January 1, 2012, I will no longer be accepting self-published books for review.

If I accept your book, I will agree to read, review, and post the review prior to the book's publication date only if I receive the book a minimum of 21 days before the book is published. Books arriving later than that will be reviewed as they fit into my review schedule.